Let's Talk About FOMO, FOGO, And JOMO

They are more than just some popular acronyms from the digital age. They are actually responsible for social anxiety for some. Three smart women discuss the perils of missing out on parties, or the relief of staying in...and everything in between.

- Humra Afroz Khan

FOMO

BY ELENA FERNANDES

Model and Actor

“In my experience, FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) can be so great that I could be in another country, thousands of miles away, but would still realistically try to plan if I can make it back for a key event.

I can be hard on myself, thinking my life is boring, especially when people on social media write comments like, ‘Great night!’ or ‘Wow, how insane were the awards?!’, and share all those glossy pictures. Everyone always has something or the other going on; and there’s this need to attend it all. Because if I were to miss out on one, and saw pictures later, I’d scream, ‘OMG! Amitabh Bachchan was there! I knew I should have gone...from my sick bed!’.

When I had just transitioned into the acting space, I used to have FOMO even more. I felt that I needed to be seen, that I should be everywhere that Katrina (Kaif) or Deepika (Padukone) were. That’s what it’s all about, isn’t it? To be at all the happening places, always be doing something, #BestLifeEver.

As my profile grew, the number of events I was expected to attend also increased. Things became robotic, and I wasn’t having fun. I had also stopped appreciating the small things—being with my pets, #SquadLife, chilling at home. I had to take a step back. There’s no point going to so many places if you don’t enjoy them. It gets exhausting, trust me. And let’s not even get into the fact that you then have to take so many pictures for social media, which gives everyone else FOMO!